Botanical classification/cultivar designation: Chrysanthemumxc3x97morifolium cultivar Yotobago.
The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum plant, botanically known as Chrysanthemumxc3x97morifolium and hereinafter referred to by the name xe2x80x98Yotobagoxe2x80x99.
The new Chrysanthemum is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Fareham, Hampshire, United Kingdom. The objective of the program is to create or discover new potted Chrysanthemum cultivars that are suitable for year-round production with uniform plant growth habit, good vigor and strong branching habit, numerous inflorescences, desirable inflorescence form and floret colors, fast and uniform flowering response, and good postproduction longevity.
The new Chrysanthemum originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in January, 1999, in Fareham, Hampshire, United Kingdom, of a proprietary Chrysanthemum seedling selection identified as code number P101B4, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a Chrysanthemum selection identified as RGI, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Chrysanthemum was discovered and selected by the Inventor in September, 1999, as a single flowering plant from within the resulting progeny of the stated cross-pollination grown in a controlled environment in Fareham, Hampshire, United Kingdom.
The selection of this plant was based on its uniform plant growth habit, good vigor and strong branching habit, numerous inflorescences, desirable inflorescence form and floret colors, fast and uniform flowering response, and good postproduction longevity.
Asexual reproduction of the new Chrysanthemum by vegetative tip cuttings was first conducted in Fareham, Hampshire, United Kingdom in December, 1999. Asexual reproduction by cuttings has shown that the unique features of this new Chrysanthemum are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.
The cultivar Yotobago has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, daylength, and/or light level, without, however, any variance in genotype.
The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of xe2x80x98Yotobagoxe2x80x99. These characteristics in combination distinguish xe2x80x98Yotobagoxe2x80x99 as a new and distinct Chrysanthemum:
1. Uniform and outwardly spreading plant habit.
2. Strong and freely branching growth habit.
3. Dark green-colored foliage.
4. Uniform flowering response and habit.
5. Typically grown as a spray-type.
6. Early flowering, eight week response time.
7. Decorative-type inflorescences.
8. Intense velvety red-colored ray florets that resist fading under low and high temperatures.
9. Good postproduction longevity with plants maintaining good substance and color for about four to five weeks in an interior environment.
Plants of the new Chrysanthemum differ from plants of the parent selections in plant growth habit and ray floret coloration.
Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can be compared to plants of the cultivar Red Delano, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 8,345. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Fort Myers, Fla., plants of the new Chrysanthemum differed from plants of the cultivar Red Delano in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum were more uniform and not as outwardly spreading as plants of the cultivar Red Delano.
2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum had smaller inflorescences than plants of the cultivar Red Delano.
3. Ray florets of plants of the new Chrysanthemum were brighter red than ray florets of plants of the cultivar Red Delano.
Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can also be compared to plants of the cultivar Cherry Pomona, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 7,850. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Fort Myers, Fla., plants of the new Chrysanthemum differed from plants of the cultivar Cherry Pomona in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum were more uniform and not as outwardly spreading as plants of the cultivar Cherry Pomona.
2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum had smaller inflorescences than plants of the cultivar Cherry Pomona.
3. Ray florets of plants of the new Chrysanthemum were brighter red than ray florets of plants of the cultivar Cherry Pomona.